JERSEY CITY – While responding to a report of an armed robbery at about 4:09 a.m. on Sunday morning, police officer Melvin Santiago was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center a short time later.

“"Today was a horrible day for Jersey City,” said Mayor Steve Fulop during a press conference held at JCMC a few hours later.

According to a statement issued by the mayor’s office, Jersey City Police responded to the Walgreen's at the corner of Communipaw Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard on a call of an armed robbery.

“The first responding officers were Officers Santiago and Martinez, who responded from Bergen and Lexington,” Fulolp said. “The actor fired at the marked police car, striking Officer Santiago -- who was still inside the vehicle -- in the head. Officer Melvin Santiago was pronounced dead shortly after at the Jersey City Medical Center.”

Additional responding officers, according to the release, returned fire at the actor, who was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. The armed security guard at the 24-hour Walgreen's stated that the actor struck him and took his weapon, which police believe was the weapon used in the shooting. The incident remains under active investigation.

“It is a tragic situation when any officer is killed in the line of duty,” Fulop said. “Melvin was an officer who represented everything one would want to see in a police officer. I know the entire city's thoughts and prayers are with the Santiago family during this difficult time and we mourn together."

Further updates will be released by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office

i like mayor fulop but the crime situation in jersey city is getting out of control and starting to infect surrounding towns...they need to make a big change in enforcement very quickly, start by getting more class I and II officers on the streets of troubled areas...